Residents of Napak District are appealing to the government for urgent food relief and quick-maturing seeds after a prolonged dry spell destroyed gardens across the district, leaving thousands of households facing severe food insecurity.
The dry spell, which began in May, has affected more than 35,000 acres of crops in both the dry and green belt areas, wiping out maize, sorghum, sunflower, and other staple crops that had been planted during the first season.
Farmers say the failure of rains has left families without food after investing heavily in agriculture, with many now unable to recover loans taken for land preparation, seeds, and tractor services.
Zakary Longoli, a farmer in Nachale Village, Lorengecora Sub-county, says he lost all his crops after spending nearly one million shillings on cultivation.
He appeals for food aid and drought-tolerant seeds to enable farmers to replant once the rains return.
Local leaders say the crisis has affected nearly the entire district’s farming population. Jacob Lochoro, LC3 Chairperson of Napak Town Council, says farmers planted early due to the onset of rains in February, but the rains stopped abruptly in May.
By URN
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